MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning PC performance tuning shop, is proud to announce the immediate availability of EPHEX luxury gaming computers featuring the new Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor. Using specialized cooling and performance settings, MAINGEAR is able to push this 3.0GHz quad-core processor to an amazing 4.0GHz. The Core 2 Extreme QX9650 brings new multimedia instructions for increased performance in video encoding, 12MB of cache for better multitasking and responsiveness, and is the first to be produced on Intel’s 45nm production technology for unrivaled overclockability.

“Intel has delivered yet again a fantastic product for the enthusiast, gamer, and power user alike,” said Wallace Santos, founder and CEO of MAINGEAR Computers. “We are impressed with their ability to produce a cool, fast, and incredibly overclockable CPU on a brand new fabrication process. Intel is firing on all cylinders, and MAINGEAR is again able to lead the pack with their technology.”

Housed in a innovative, all aluminum chassis, and featuring a separate, quick release hard drive cage isolated from the heat generated from the rest of the system, the EPHEX also features a closed circuit, maintenance-free water cooling solution that keeps the system quiet and delivers maximum cooling performance while allowing MAINGEAR to overclock their CPU to record levels.

MAINGEAR has dubbed their overclocking technology “Redlining,” or increasing the operating frequency of the component to its maximum allowable level. This makes games play fluid and decreases the rendering time for video editing or other computationally intensive tasks. “Redlining allows our customers to experience tomorrow’s performance in the system they buy today. Our fine tuning of today’s hardware will rival or even surpass some of the technology that may be available in six months – which is a very tangible benefit of owning a MAINGEAR computer,” Santos explains. Redlining is available on all MAINGEAR gaming systems.

In addition, the new, highly overclocked EPHEX gaming system introduces the new AMD ATI Radeon HD 3870 graphics processor for superior performance in games, and CrossFire technology for smooth performance at high resolutions. Featuring all-new 55nm technology, this tweaked out 3D powerhouse features HDMI+Audio, DX 10.1, and the Universal Video Decoder for brilliant high definition video performance.

“AMD has done a fantastic job of bringing DX10 performance and features together at an incredible price point,” says Giovanni Solari, MAINGEAR’s Executive Technician Manager. “We’ve been pleased with their performance, quiet operation, and scalability in multi-GPU configurations. It is a great combination and a must have for Intel’s QX9650 processor and X38 chipset. I recommend two!”

I musta missed that part. But, I don't see the big architectural deal with Penryn. If anything, they're just a second generation of Core technology, or maybe more importantly, the first standardized 2X2 core chips.

But beyond that..they'll get creamed by their successors near the end of the year, or whenever Nehalem launches.

War, why are you impressed that they got a 1ghz OC? It's an X chip. I should bloody hope they get 1ghz..

This is far from an 'elitist' gaming machine. It just looks like ATi is in bed with Maingear for some promotional bonuses.